32
Rolex
Ref. 126506
Cosmograph Daytona
A newly launched, like-new and rare platinum chronograph wristwatch with ice blue dial, diamond-set indexes, ceramic bezel, bracelet, guarantee and presentation box
Full-Cataloguing
- Chronograph
- First time reference 126506 appears on the auction market
- Preserved in pristine condition with original accessories
In 2023, for the 60th anniversary of the Cosmograph Daytona, Rolex introduced updates to the existing 116500 line of Cosmograph Daytonas. The reference 126506 was launched with an added machine-applied Côtes de Genève Rolex finishing to the bridges, which can be seen through the sapphire caseback, a feature given exclusively to platinum examples.
After 23 years of service, the beloved cal. 4130 made way for the new cal. 4131. As its name suggests, the cal. 4131 is an evolution of the cal. 4130, rather than an entirely new design. The biggest change was the addition of the brand’s proprietary Chronergy escapement, which debuted in 2015. The case is also thinner than its predecessor.
Like the original platinum Daytona, the new reference 126506 retained its Cerachrom bezel and ice blue sunburst dial. Spotted on the wrists of celebrities such as Michael Jordan and a long list of other greats, the platinum Daytona is today one of the most celebrated Daytona models in recent times.
The sale of the present watch marks the first time that this reference has come to the auction market. Preserved in like-new condition and complete with its accessories, the present watch has the additional benefit of having baguette diamond markers - a rarity.
Rolex
Swiss | 1905Founded in 1905 England by Hans Wilsdorf and Alfred Davis as Wilsdorf & Davis, it soon became known as the Rolex Watch Company in 1915, moving its headquarters to Geneva in 1919. Like no other company, the success of the wristwatch can be attributed to many of Rolex's innovations that made them one of the most respected and well-known of all luxury brands. These innovations include their famous "Oyster" case — the world's first water resistant and dustproof watch case, invented in 1926 — and their "Perpetual" — the first reliable self-winding movement for wristwatches launched in 1933. They would form the foundation for Rolex's Datejust and Day-Date, respectively introduced in 1945 and 1956, but also importantly for their sports watches, such as the Explorer, Submariner and GMT-Master launched in the mid-1950s.
One of its most famous models is the Cosmograph Daytona. Launched in 1963, these chronographs are without any doubt amongst the most iconic and coveted of all collectible wristwatches. Other key collectible models include their most complicated vintage watches, including references 8171 and 6062 with triple calendar and moon phase, "Jean Claude Killy" triple date chronograph models and the Submariner, including early "big-crown" models and military-issued variants.